Untitled (two people standing by airplane, watching another plane landing) c. 1950

Curator: This is an Untitled image by Jack Gould, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's a stark, almost ghostly image. The contrast really emphasizes the textures of the planes, the fabric and metal. Curator: Absolutely. The way Gould frames these figures against the backdrop of aviation speaks to the cultural fascination with flight in the mid-20th century. It's a symbol of progress, and national identity is definitely at play. Editor: Yes, but it's also about the labor involved, isn't it? Someone built those planes, riveted the metal, stretched the fabric. It's easy to forget the hands that made it all possible. Curator: A good point. Looking at it from that angle, the image does serve as a reminder of the collective effort, the social structures that supported this technological advancement. Editor: Exactly. The image pushes us to think about the whole production process, not just the glamorous end result. Curator: It's really fascinating how much these simple materials, framed in this way, reflect such complex ideas. Editor: Indeed, a reminder to look closely and think critically about the world around us.